CHILD LABOR

Child Labor

God has given human beings the boon of wisdom and discretion to think upon the signs of the universe and to draw conclusions. That is the reason why they disclose the hidden facts of it and its structure and have made remarkable progress in many walks of life. Children are the flowers of heaven. They are the most beautiful and purest creation of God. They are innocent both inwardly and outwardly. No doubt, they are the beauty of this world. Early in the morning when the children put on different kinds of clothes and begin to go to schools for the sake of knowledge, we feel a specific kind of joy through their innocence.

But there are also other children, those who cannot go to schools due to financial problems, they only watch others go to schools and can merely wish to seek knowledge.It is due to many hindrances and difficulties; desperate conditions that they face in life. Having been forced to kill their aspirations, dreams and other wishes, they are pressed to earn a living for themselves and for their families. It is also a fact that there are many children who play a key role in sustaining the economically life of their family without which, their families would not be able to make ends meet. These are also part of our society who have forgotten the pleasures of their childhood. When a child in addition to getting education, earns his livelihood, this act of earning a livelihood is called as child Labour.

What is Child Labor?

Child labor is work that harms children or keeps them from attending school. Around the world and in the U. S., growing gaps between rich and poor in recent decades have forced millions of young children out of school and into work. The International Labor Organization estimates that 215 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 currently work under conditions that are considered illegal, hazardous, or extremely exploitative. Underage children work at all sorts of jobs around the world, usually because they and their families are extremely poor. Large numbers of children work in commercial agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, mining, and domestic service. Some children work in illicit activities like the drug trade and prostitution or other traumatic activities such as serving as soldiers.

Another definition states:(Child Labor)

“Child Labour” is generally speaking work for children that harms them or exploits them in some way (physically, mentally, morally or blocking access to education),
United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund(UNICEF) defines “child” as anyone below the age of 18, and “child Labour” as some type of work performed by children below age 18. (UNICEF)

Child Labor in U.S. History

Forms of child labor, including indentured servitude and child slavery, have existed throughout American history. As industrialization moved workers from farms and home workshops into urban areas and factory work, children were often preferred, because factory owners viewed them as more manageable, cheaper, and less likely to strike. Growing opposition to child labor in the North caused many factories to move to the South. By 1900, states varied considerably in whether they had child labor standards and in their content and degree of enforcement. By then, American children worked in large numbers in mines, glass factories, textiles, agriculture, canneries, home industries, and as newsboys, messengers, bootblacks, and peddlers.

In the early decades of the twentieth century, the numbers of child laborers in the U.S. peaked. Child labor began to decline as the labor and reform movements grew and labor standards in general began improving, increasing the political power of working people and other social reformers to demand legislation regulating child labor. Union organizing and child labor reform were often intertwined, and common initiatives were conducted by organizations led by working women and middle class consumers, such as state Consumers’ Leagues and Working Women’s Societies. These organizations generated the National Consumers’ League in 1899 and the National Child Labor Committee in 1904, which shared goals of challenging child labor, including through anti-sweatshop campaigns and labeling programs. The National Child Labor Committee’s work to end child labor was combined with efforts to provide free, compulsory education for all children, and culminated in the passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938, which set federal standards for child labor.

Child Labor Laws Soon to Apply to Models Under 18

As predicted, a bill proposing that models under 18 be protected by the same labor laws that apply to child actors, singers, and performers passed both houses of New York State legislature yesterday. It's currently awaiting the governor's signature.

What does this mean? Basically, a lot of extra paperwork for anyone who wants to hire a model under 18. Once it becomes law, the bill will require the following:

1. Children under 16 must be accompanied by a chaperone.

2. Minor models will require a special permit to work.

3. Employers will have to apply for a certificate of eligibility to hire children, and fill out additional paperwork notifying the state of specific dates, times, and locations of the jobs beforehand.

4. Child models won't be allowed to work after midnight or return to work less than twelve hours after they've left.

5. If child models miss more than three days of school, their employer is required to provide them with a tutor and a space to study.

6. Fifteen percent of a child model's income will be placed into a trust account that they can only access when they turn 18.

It's not all dotted lines and rainbows, though: It'll be tough for the state to monitor and enforce these rules, especially since models are technically considered "freelance contractors" instead of "employees." The penalty for breaking these laws is a civil fine — $1,000, $2,000, and $3,000 for the first, second, and third or more offenses, respectively. The most logical way for model agencies to handle the new legislation? Just hire adults 18 and over, like most other workplaces manage to do. 

Realistically, though, this will have a serious impact on the fashion industry in New York. Fordham law professor Susan Scafidi told the Times today, "It is true that the aesthetic is going to change a lot." But that's probably for the best, adds Model Alliance founder Sara Ziff (pictured above with alliance member Coco Rocha), who has advocated for this bill for years. “I don’t think [using older models] that would be such a bad thing," she says. "Designers are marketing their clothes to adults, so I think that would be appropriate." How will modeling agencies and designers handle the change? If all goes according to plan, we'll see come September.